Stand to Reason Speaker

Tim Barnett

Tim Barnett is a dynamic speaker who provides a perfect blend of expertise and humor in each talk. Using easy-to-follow and visually engaging presentations, Tim trains Christians to think clearly about what they believe and why they believe it. Tim's passion and energy will help motivate you and your group to love God with all your mind.

Tim has worked as a professional teacher since 2008, employed in both the private and public sector. He has earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics from York University and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. Tim also has a Master of Arts in Philosophy from Southern Evangelical Seminary. Tim also serves as an adjunct Bible and Science teacher at Innova Academy, a classical Christian school, and serves on the pastoral staff at Cedarview Community Church.

Tim is married, and has three beautiful girls.

"Christianity is not the kind of thing that can be true for you and not for me. It makes objective truth claims about reality."

TIM BARNETT

Tim is a dynamic speaker who provides a perfect blend of expertise and humor in each talk. Using easy-to-follow and visually engaging presentations, Tim trains Christians to think clearly about what they believe and why they believe it. Tim's passion and energy will help motivate you and your group to love God with all your mind.

Before joining the STR speaking team, Tim founded an apologetics-based speaking ministry. Through his speaking, he has been able to help make a powerful impact defending and contending for the faith both in church settings as well as on the university stage. He has also had the opportunity to speak at numerous ACSI conferences, Power to Change events, the Apologetics Canada conference, and the National Conference on Christian Apologetics.

Tim has worked as a professional teacher since 2008, employed in both the private and public sector.

Tim has bachelor's degrees in physics and education from York University and the University of Ontario, respectively. He is currently working on his master's degree in philosophy from Southern Evangelical Seminary.

Tim lives with his wife and two children in Ontario, Canada.

PERSONAL STORY

I still remember sitting there in one of my physics classes as a second-year student and being told by my professor that you can't be a scientist and believe in God any more than you can be a rational human being and believe in Santa Claus.

It was comments like this that led this young, future science teacher to begin to question whether God exists at all. Was there any proof for God's existence? Are science and religion mortal enemies? Was my belief in God simply a blind leap of faith? Could the Bible be trusted? Were miracles even possible? Questions began to flood my mind. So I began to search for answers.

And what I discovered was truly amazing! Christianity has answers. Not just answers, but good answers. In fact, I have come to the conclusion that Christianity is true. As a result, I've devoted my life to helping others understand and defend classical Christianity.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT TIM

"I had the privilege of hearing Tim speak at a teachers conference and he did a fantastic job. Tim has a a great grasp of contemporary culture, a unique understanding of challenges youth face, and the right ideas for how the church needs to respond today. He blends research, stories, and humor in his messages. I would recommend him as a speaker to both youth and adults.” Dr. Sean McDowell Author, Speaker,and Biola University Professor

"Tim Barnett presents an intellectually robust defence of biblical truth, enabling today's student to stand for his/her faith confidently and unashamedly. Tim, through an intellectually honest approach to the issues, calls into question certain foundational assumptions of a naturalistic view of the order of things. His presentations are extremely well-researched, entertaining and inspiring, and have the potential to add immense value to any youth program or apologetics class.” Reg Andrews Director of Operations and Ministry at Peoples Christian Academy

“Tim Barnett is an excellent speaker who is able to captivate an audience. We invited him to our high school to speak to the students. As a former Science teacher, it was evident that Tim knows how to engage an audience. He is knowledgeable about the topic of discussion and uses a sense of humour and promotes deeper thinking and dialogue. He is able to simplify complex ideas and provide others with a way of understanding more about God and our faith. I look forward to inviting him back to our school.” Aaron Harnden Principal at Unity Christian High School

Check out Greg's promotional items below. Click on any of the links below to jump to those type of promotional items.

Audio

Flyers

Tim Barnett is prepared to give talks on the following topics. To find out how to schedule Tim please contact Darcy at darcy@str.org.

TIM'S TALKS

APOLOGETICS & EVANGELISM

Conversing With the Atheist (Or, Meet the Atheist)

It is usually not until our faith is under attack that we begin to search for answers. But by that time it might be too late. Vast numbers of young people are going off to college or university without being properly equipped to defend what they believe and why they believe it. However, Tim has found a proven strategy to get young people motivated. He beats them up. What do we mean? Tim comes in as an atheist professor and hits them with the most common arguments for atheism and against Christianity. This allows the individual young people to evaluate whether they are capable of defending their own faith. Half-way through the talk, Tim reveals that he is actually a Christian apologist and proceeds to answers all the challenges he raised. This presentations gives students a taste of what it is like to face objections to their faith, but in the safety of your church, school, or conference. This is guaranteed to be a valuable and memorable experience.

Why are They Leaving and What You Can Do to Stop Them

Arguably the greatest crisis facing Christendom is the huge numbers of young people who are walking away from the faith. This should have alarm bells going off. And the majority reason cited for this mass exodus is intellectual doubt and skepticism. Once Tim has isolates the problem, he provides practical solutions for how we can stop it. In the process, Tim acts out an atheist role-play to give you a sense of what it is like to be a young Christian in a secular culture facing challenges and objections to your faith. This is sure to motivate you to better equip yourself and our youth. The message is clear: Our young people have questions and the Church needs to be ready to give an answer.

Why I Am a Christian

Most of the reasons Christians give for being a Christian aren’t good reasons. Rather, the primary reason why we ought to embrace Christianity is because Christianity is true. In this talk, we will clarify this controversial claim and show how the truth of religious claims must be grounded in reality.

Tactics in Defending Your Faith

Have you ever been caught flat-footed in conversations about spiritual things? Have you ever wished that you spoken up but didn't because you didn't know how to start? This talk is for you! Instead of giving you a truck load of information to download, this presentation does something a little different. Tim wants to give you a game plan you can use to defend your faith to friend and foe alike. In your time together, he is going to equip you with a handful of effective maneuvers, which he calls 'Tactics'. Whether you are shy or outgoing; have a High School diploma or a PhD, this presentation will help you get into the game and make an impact for Christ.

What is the Gospel?

There are many today who label themselves Christians, but have no idea what the gospel is. In this presentation, Tim underscores how God is good and we are not. Given that we are all sinners, we all deserve to be punished for our crimes. In fact, justice demands it. It is only with this backdrop that the good news makes sense. In His love, God sent His Son on a rescue mission to seek and save the lost. Moreover, Jesus has died in the place of sinful men satisfying God’s wrath so that we might be reconciled to Him.

How to Properly Use PowerPoint to Maximize Student Learning

Many of us have developed bad habits when using PowerPoint. Instead of providing an effective visual aid for our students, our presentations amount to cruel and unusual punishment. You don’t need to be a technology guru to put together a visually engaging presentation that will aid in teaching difficult concepts. All you need to do it employ some practical tips that have been proven to work. In this session, you will learn how to use PowerPoint to maximize your students learning. (This is a great seminar for teachers, pastors, and apologists).

THEOLOGY

Who Was Jesus?

An appropriate understanding of the Person of Jesus is essential to Christianity. Every Christian should know exactly why Christians have always understood Jesus to be God despite acts from other religions and cults. In this talk Tim walks through the most persuasive evidence from the Bible from the deity of Christ.

Witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses

Most Christians are ill-equipped to handle themselves in discussions with Jehovah's Witnesses. JW's seem to know their stuff while most Christians don't. Most Christians know what they believe, but don't know why they believe it. This is where this two-part series comes in; it answers the the 'why'. Watch and listen as Tim Barnett graciously and respectfully walks through the reasons for believing that Jesus is Jehovah!

Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?

Have you ever heard someone say that Jesus never existed? Is there any historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus? In this talk, Tim puts the central claim of Christianity to the test by using the methods of historiography to investigate three established facts surrounding the resurrection. Next he explores competing explanations to determine what best explanation of these facts. By the end of this presentation, your confidence in the bodily resurrection of Jesus will be bolstered and you’ll be excited to share this information with others.

To Hell with Hell?

Many people, inside and outside the church, have a problem with Hell. They ask, “how can a loving God punish people with eternal torment for things they did in their few finite years of life?” Is the answer to just scrap the doctrine all together, or can we use the bible to make sense of a loving God and this terrifying place? In this presentation, Tim offers a biblical case for the reality, severity, and eternity of hell. Next, Tim looks at two reasons why people reject hell: minimizing human sin and distorting divine justice. Finally, with an accurate understanding of man and God established, Tim communicates the Gospel.

Is One Way the Only Way?

The most offensive element of the Gospel and the most common objection to Christianity is the idea that Jesus is the only way to God. In this talk, Tim gives a simple, but powerful, argument why religious pluralism is false, and then looks at the historical record and asks if we have any good reason to believe Jesus’ own claim about Himself. Finally, Tim explains in detail why Jesus is the only way by giving a powerful and moving account of the work of the cross.

BIBLE

Can the New Testament be Trusted?

One of the most foundational questions that must be asked by any Christian is this: can the Bible be trusted? Most Christians believe the Bible is true, but do not know why they believe it. Answering the why is much more difficult. To do this we are going to tackle two separate questions. First, do we have accurate copies of the originals? Second, do the original New Testament documents describe what really happened? (This talk is a combination of Is What We Have Now What They Wrote Then?

Is What We Have Now What They Wrote Then?

It is no secret that we do not have the original New Testament documents. Given this fact, how do we know the Bible we carry to church contains the same words penned in the first-century by the apostles? In this talk, Tim walks through the transmission of the New Testament and explains why we should be extremely confident that we know what the original said.

Why I Believe the New Testament is True

In this talk, Tim builds a cumulative case for why there are good reasons to think that the New Testament authors recorded the truth. These include eyewitness testimony, early testimony, embarrassing testimony, excruciating testimony, and expectant testimony. Each of these provides clear markers of truth, but taken together, they deliver an overwhelming historical case for the veracity of the New Testament.

PHILOSOPHY & MORALITY

Does God Exist?

Belief in God is simply a blind leap in the dark. In fact, there is overwhelming evidence for God’s existence. In this session, Tim explains three powerful arguments for God’s existence in a way that is understandable and compelling. In addition, he will examine the best objections to each offered by atheists. By the end of this talk, it will be clear that unbelief isn’t an evidence issue; it’s a heart issue.

If God, Why Evil?

The problem of evil has caused more atheism, skepticism, and agnosticism than any other challenge to Christianity. In this talk, Tim offers four important insights on God and evil that have revolutionized his thinking of this issue. First, evil is something. Second, evil is not some thing. Third, something good made evil possible. Finally, evil is solved by someone. Each of these points is crucial to reconciling a good God with all of the evil in the world.

The Truth about Truth

We are living in a culture that has abandoned the idea of truth, especially moral and religious truth. As a result, Christians are in the strange position where they need to argue that truth exists before they can argue that Christianity is true. In this presentation, Tim walks through the difference between subjective and objective truth claims. Through an interactive and engaging presentation, Tim demonstrates that moral and religious claims are objective despite assertions to the contrary by our confused culture.

Defending Life

The most dangerous place on Earth, is not Afghanistan, or Columbia, or even Antarctica. The most dangerous place on Earth is the womb. A horrific number of unborn human persons are being killed simply because they are in the way and canʼt defend themselves. So what are you going to do about it? In this powerful presentation, Tim offers a persuasive case against abortion. After clearly and concisely refuting moral relativism, Tim trains you to simplify the abortion issue by raising the only question that matters: what is the unborn? Next, he teaches you to answer this question using modern science and logically sound philosophy. Finally, Tim looks at common objections raised against the pro-life position.

The Implications of Relativism on the Abortion Debate

In today's culture, it is no longer effective to argue that abortion is wrong. Moral relativism has turned our objective truth claims into subjective, personal preference claims. This means that before you can present a persuasive argument that the pro-life position is true, you need to establish the foundation that objective truth exists.

SCIENCE

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

Is design in nature just an illusion? Is there anything special about Earth and the Universe? Join Tim as he walks you through one of the greatest discoveries of modern physics and astronomy—the fine-tuning of the universe. Using the heroic, true story of the Apollo 13 space mission, Tim draws parallels between the “just right” conditions that are necessary for the astronauts aboard the Apollo 13 space shuttle to emphasize that our existence too is balanced on a razors edge. Combining spectacular visuals and thorough knowledge of physics, this presentation is sure to have you echoing the words of the Psalmist, “The heavens declare the glory of God.”

Are Science and Faith Compatible? (Or, Has Science Buried Faith in God?)

Our culture is being bombarded by the idea that science has buried God and the Christian faith along with Him. But is science and belief in God really incompatible? In this talk, Tim starts by looking at the misconceptions of faith and contrasts that with faith as taught by Jesus and the New Testament authors. Next, Tim exposes how philosophical naturalism has been forced upon the methodology of science. As a result, many scientists just exclude any possibility of supernatural conclusions before they even look at the evidence. Finally, Tim walks through some of the best scientific evidences for God's existence. This talk will strengthen your faith and have you bowled over at God's wisdom, power, and creativity.

Should Christians Embrace Evolution?

Have you ever wondered if evolution and Christianity are compatible beliefs? Can't we just say "God used evolution!" and be done with it? In this talk, Tim takes a in-depth look at the logical, theological and scientific problems of trying to marry the ideas of Neo-Darwinian evolution with the Bible. This particular topic has found itself at the forefront of evangelical debates. Far from being a peripheral issue, this question has far-reaching implications and must be clearly and carefully thought through.

Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution

Christians are being bombarded with the claim that all of biology can be explained by an undirected, natural process. But can Neo-Darwinian evolution explain all the complex life we see today? In this presentation, Tim invites you to investigate some truly remarkable creatures that defy evolution. From the gigantic giraffe, down to the beautiful butterfly, all the way to the microscopic bacteria flagellum, the animal kingdom cries out for a Creator. (This talk can be modified for young children).

SERIES

Can the New Testament be Trusted? (2-Part Series)

Is What we Have Now What they Wrote Then?

What I Believe the New Testament is True

Witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses (2-Part Series)

Jesus is Identified as Jehovah from the Old Testament

Jesus is Directly and Indirectly Identified as God

The Art of Pro-Life Persuasion (6-Part Series)

Establishing a foundation for the abortion debate

Clarify and restore meaning to abortion

Scientific case for the pro-life position

Philosophical case for the pro-life position

Theological case for the pro-life position

Answering street-level and academic objections

Are Science and Faith Compatible? (2-Part Series)

Are Science and Faith Compatible?

Three Scientific Evidences that Point to God

What is the Gospel? (2-Part Series)

What is the Bad News?

What is the Good News?

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